


Tabula Rasa

by Ptolomeia



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU from before the Origins episode came out, Abortion, Betrayal, F/M, Growing Up, Identity Reveal, Mind Rape, mind wipe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 12:48:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12211617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ptolomeia/pseuds/Ptolomeia
Summary: Everytime that Ladybug and Chat Noir know each other's civilian identities, they die in the final battle. The real reason Marinette and Adrien never recognize each other.





	Tabula Rasa

**Author's Note:**

> I am sick and suffering and so must all of you. 
> 
> Also, this fic was conceived of LONG before we had the origins episodes, so yes, I am aware that they only met on the first day of school etc. This is an AU. Bare with me.
> 
> Please note, while this fic does not actually contain non-con, rape or sexual assault, it does have things that people who are triggered by that might find triggering. If you want to know what happens ahead of time to decide, check out the end notes.

The moment Adrien walked into the classroom for the first time, Marinette knew. How could she not know? It wasn’t like she didn’t see Chat Noir at least once a week on patrols and fighting Akuma’s. She’d know her Chat anywhere. Though, apparently from the confused look he was giving her, he didn’t recognize ‘his lady’. He could be a little slow on the uptake and, besides, it wasn’t like Ladybug stared gaping at him that often. She could forgive him his slowness this once. 

 

“Marinette, are you alright?” Alya whispered to her, poking her lightly and trying to avoid the teacher’s attention. “You look like you were just hit on the head.” 

 

“I’m fine…” She managed before raising her hand. “Can I go to the bathroom?” She asked her teacher. She was gone before she had permission. 

 

As soon as she was sure she was alone in the bathroom, she opened her bag and let Tikki out. 

 

“Tikki! Adrien friggin Agreste is Chat Noir! What am I supposed to do!?!”   

 

Her little Kwami frowned as she floated in front of her. 

 

“Are you sure, Marinette?”

 

“Of course   I am!” Marinette almost yelled, before grabbing her face and forcing herself to quiet down a little. “I mean, with the modeling, the pictures weren’t so clear, but seeing him in person, how can I not see my partner standing right there. It’s so obvious. After nearly a year of him trying to figure out who I am behind the mask, I figure it out first! Oh, he’s going to love that one. I guess I should probably tell him I know… Tikki, what’s wrong.”

 

“Oh Marinette,” Her Kwami said, sounding almost heartbroken. “I’m so sorry.” And with that, the little red creature phased into Marinette’s head. A few moments later, she popped out, smiling like her usual self. 

 

“Tikki?” Marinette said, rubbing her temple and looking confused. “What am I doing in the school bathroom?”

 

“You don’t remember?” Tikki giggled. “You were so overwhelmed when Adrien Agreste, the model, joined the class you practically ran away!”

 

“I did?” Marinette asked, the confusion starting to clear from her eyes. “Oh gods, Alya will never let me live this down.” 

 

“Well, he is pretty cute!” Tikki chirped, giggling again. “Now come on, the longer you take to get back to class, the harder it will be to live down. 

 

When Marinette got back to class, she could barely look at Adrien, she was blushing so hard at her reaction to his attractiveness. God, what had she been thinking. 

 

When she met Chat Noir that night for Patrol, she almost felt like she should be using another name, but that was ridiculous. She had no idea who he was behind the mask. 

 

* * *

 

It was the first time that he really saw Marinette stand up to Chloe that Adrien realized that his beloved Lady had been sitting behind him for nearly a month. He could barely believe he’d been so blind. That weird look she’d given him the first day, she must have known! And then after that, the blushing and shyness a really convincing mask, because there was no way his lady was actually that shy and blushing. It was break and he snuck out to somewhere slightly more secluded so he could process it more. 

 

“Hey, what’s up?” Plagg said, sticking his head out of Adrien’s bag when he heard the kid almost start to hyperventilate. 

 

“Marinette—I—She—My Lady—Ladybug!!” Was all he managed between the gasps as strange little things over the past month started to slot into place. Of course Marinette was Ladybug. Who else could it be?

 

“So, you finally figured it out, huh.” Plagg said, sounding strangely resigned. “I wish you were slower,   sometimes. I’m sorry, Adrien.” And, as was his responsibility, he phased into his charge’s head and sealed away the memory of the realization. He phased out and floated grouchily in front of his charges face. Adrien shook his head as if to clear some thought, before shooting a glare at his Kwami.

 

“What was so important that you needed to drag me out here?” He asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “And if you say—”

 

“I’m hungry!” Plagg cried, trying to sound pitiful and failing miserably. “You forgot to feed me this morning and I’m hungry!! I haven’t had cheese for hours!”

 

“I totally fed you this morning!” Adrien protested. 

 

“Did not!” Plagg replied. 

 

“Did s—If I give you cheese, will you be quiet until while I hang out with my friends?” 

 

“If it’s enough!” Plagg replied ecstatically. 

 

“Get in the bag…” Adrien sighed. “I’m pretty sure I have some emergency cheese stashed in my locker.” Gleeful expression firmly in place, Plagg zipped into the bag. He knew what he was doing was for the best. He only hoped some day Adrien would agree. 

 

Later, when he was saying goodbye for the day, he was confused by the lingering urge to call Marinette, ‘My Lady”, after all, there was no way that shy, stuttering girl was the confident Ladybug. 

 

*** 

 

Everyone was surprised but glad, when Marinette seemed to get over her crush on Adrien very suddenly, for the length of an afternoon. At first, Adrien seemed surprised, but soon he was laughing along with her, making terrible jokes. The two looked like they'd known each other for years. Even Adrien was confused by how comfortable this felt. 

 

At the end of the day, Marinette smiled at Adrien, a little smugly, a little sadly.

 

“Bye bye, Chaton,” she said, and was gone before he’d stopped gaping. 

 

When she got home, she opened her purse so furiously, she nearly broke the fastening. 

 

“How many times, Tikki!” She almost snapped, keeping her voice down to stop her parents from coming to check on her. 

 

“How many times what?” Tikki asked, smiling at her chosen, if looking slightly confused. 

 

“Don't play dumb with me Tikki! How many times have I realized that Adrien is Chat Noir?”

 

“What do you mean? Adrien isn't Chat Noir.”

 

“Of course he is! They look completely identical! Hell, he even laughs at stupid cat puns for God’s sake! And don't try to tell me this isn't the first time I've realized because that doesn't make any sense. We've known each other for years! So... So it must be you, taking away the memories. I've been thinking about it all day, and it's the only thing that makes sense. Unless There's something I don't know.?Another reason? Please Tikki, tell me it isn't you!” Marinette was scared and angry and crying and Tikki wouldn’t look at her and it hurt Marinette so very very deeply. 

 

“Why Tikki? How could you?” She didn't even wipe at the tears running down her face, she was too overwhelmed. “You were my friend! I thought I could tru--” 

 

Unable to bear Marinette’s words any more,Tikki did what she had to and went into Marinette to seal away the memories. 

 

“Tikki?” Marinette asked, when she zoned back into reality. Her hand went up to touch her tear stained face. “Tikki, why was I crying?” 

 

“I guess the end of Collège coming up is kind of overwhelming. Finals, and all the goodbye's you'll have to say soon... Besides, aren't you going to start bleeding soon? Maybe that's making you emotional.” 

 

“Ugh, don't remind me, it's bad enough when it does happen.” Marinette said, falling face first on her chaise. 

 

The next day, people were surprised that things were back to awkward between Adrien and Marinette. Shame good things couldn't really last. 

 

***

 

“Mission accomplished” they said, bumping fists and smiling. 

 

“So, My Lady, can I take you out for a drink, to celebrate an akuma well defeated?” 

 

“You trying to get me drunk, Chat?” She asked, eyebrow raised. 

 

“You wound me, my lady!” He replied, hand flying dramatically to his chest. “Still, one drink?” 

 

“In your dreams, Chat! See you on patrol!” And with a swing of her yo-yo, she was gone. Adrien sighed to himself, past swearing or shouting. Besides, he was wasn't sure what he'd do if his Lady ever did say yes, even if he did love her. 

 

He reached for his staff, getting ready to vaut off home. He did still have a paper to finish, after all. The annoying part of having a secret identity is that you couldn't get extensions because you were busy saving Paris. 

 

“Wait! Chat Noir!” He stopped, turning around. There was a woman standing behind him, the strangest expression on her face. His ring beeped, he didn't have much time. “Don't worry, I know you don't have long, I'll be quick. Just, please tell Plagg I finally understand, and I forgive him. He still can't forgive Tikki, but.... Please tell him I forgive him.”

 

“Clara! A man said, running up to them. “Clara, there you are. I lost you during the attack and--you OK?” 

 

“Im fine, don't worry. I was just passing on a message.” She smiled at the man--her husband?-- before gesturing to him. The man turned to him and his expression turned from loving concern to barely contained fury. 

 

“You should leave.” He said, voice dead level. 

 

“Charles,” the woman sighed placing a placating hand on his arm. 

 

“Leave!” The man half shouted and Adrien left before it could escalate even more. 

 

When he'd gotten back to his room, he detransformed and looked over at Plagg. 

 

“Plagg, did you hear that?” He asked.

 

“Yeah, Adrien, I did.” He said, floating slowly, sadly over to Adrien’s desk. 

 

“Who was she? What did she mean?” 

 

“Nevermind, forget about it,” Plagg said, curling up on the desk, his back to Adrien.   

 

Nothing Adrien tried could get Plagg to tell him or to cheer up. When not even camembert cheered him up, he gave up. Plagg would tell or he wouldn't, in his own time. 

 

***

 

“I love you. My name is Adrien Agreste, and I love you!” He'd looked her straight in the eye and told her. Told her things she'd made it clear she did not want to know. 

 

She shook her head and swung away, tears burning in her eyes as she ignored his cries. She couldn't deal with this, with what he forced her to know. She'd deal with it later, after she'd had time to process. Both of them would deal then. 

 

Or they would have, if their Kwamis had given them a choice. 

 

***

 

It had been a brutal battle. Both of them had nearly lost their lives, their blood staining far too many places. It was rare that Hawkmoth possessed someone so violent, but it did happen and when it did... Ladybug’d managed to use her miraculous powers to fix everything before he'd passed out from lack of blood. 

 

Now they stood on a secluded rooftop, holding each other close, reassuring themselves that they were both alive. He'd taken yet another blow for her that would have killed her if it had landed. She'd had to take blows to deflect his crumpled form. They had almost lost each other.

 

Again.

 

“Chat?” Ladybug said, pulling back slightly. Adrien kept her in his arms, but not holding too closely. He wasn’t ready to let her go quite yet. This time had been too damn close. “We’ve almost lost each other enough times, and I can’t imagine not having you with me and I don’t see why we shouldn’t... Chat, I think I’m ready.” He frowned at her. Ready? Ready for what?

 

With a small, nervous smile, she stepped out of his arms. He let her go. 

 

“Are you alright?” He asked. He’d never seen her look like this. 

 

“Yeah,” She squeaked, before taking a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m fine it’s just...” With one last panicked look, the rooftop was flooded with pink light. 

 

“Hello, Chat. My name is Marinette. It’s nice to meet you,” She, Marinette, Girl who used to sit behind him everyday for years when they’d been in lycée together, the girl who’d he’d seen countless times since, the girl who was best friends with the girl his best friend was dating, that Marinette, said with the most painfully nervous and awkward smile he’d seen since.... since she’d given him the same one in Lycée. He really was blind. 

 

“It’s you!” He was holding her. When had that happened? “I’m so happy it’s you. I can’t believe I never saw it. I mean, I’ve always thought you were amazing, both of you! How could I not see it, I’m such an idiot.”

 

“You know me?!” She squeaked. 

 

“Of course I do, my purfect Princess!” He pulled back just enough to look at her. He drank her expression in, superimposing everything he knew about his Lady and about his Princess and seeing how perfectly it all worked together.   

 

“Oh God, Chat, you mean I know you behind the mask too?” Whoops, he still had the mask on...

 

“I don’t know, my lady,” He smirked, hoping it would cover up the fact that he hadn’t realized he’d forgotten. “You tell me.” And he let the transformation drop. 

 

Her jaw dropped and she stared at him, looking rather like a fish. The silence lasted long enough for nerves to start setting in. Why wasn’t she reacting...

 

“ADRIEN!?!?” She finally shrieked. 

 

“At your service,” he replied, sweeping her a bow. He glanced up to see her eyes bugging from her skull and her mouth opening and closing. “Is... is that a problem?” Marinette got along fine with Adrien, and he’d been working with his Lady for almost seven years now. Surely she couldn’t--

 

“Of course not!” She snapped, cutting off that train of thought. “It’s just! You’re so different without the mask! I would never have guess, but... But it does makes sense. All the puns. God, now I won’t be able to get away from them on either side of the mask, now I know you won’t hold back at all! I’ll have to deal with cat puns all the time!”

 

He could barely believe his ears. “So.. So, you want to see each other more in our civilian identities?” 

 

“You do realize that Alya and Nino have been trying to get us to date for years, right? They’ll be thrilled when they find out we’ve started.”

 

“You... you want to date? Me?” He could barely believe his ears. Marinette, Ladybug, wanted to date him. Him. All of him. 

 

“Well, if you want, I mean, I can’t force you--if you don’t want to, it’s just-- Ah!” That last was because he’d bounded forward, grabbed her close and spun her around. He was laughing. Even with the nearly bleeding out not an even an hour ago, this was the best day of his life. Gently, he let her back down onto her feet. 

 

“Of course I want to date you, Marinette.   You’re the most amazing woman in the entire world! How could I not--Can I kiss you?” He needed a kiss to know that this was real, that this wasn’t just some stupid dream. 

 

Startled brilliant, bright blue eyes looked up at him. A wondrous smile crept across her face and she nodded. 

 

Carefully, half convinced that any sudden movement would make him wake up, he cupped her face and pressed his lips softly to hers. It was a sweet, chaste kiss. It was the beginning of an exploration, the beggining of them and Adrien didn’t think it was possible to be happier than he was in that moment. Eventually, far too soon, he started to pull back. That would be enough for a first kiss. He didn’t want to rush things. This was enough. Nothing could possibly be better. 

 

When Marinette slung one of her arms around his neck and pulled him back for a much deeper kiss, he changed his mind. 

 

Tikki and Plagg floated a little way off and watched as their charges became more and more passionate, years of longing being poured into each other. 

 

“Do you think we should interrupt...?” Tikki asked, hoping Plagg would talk her out of it. They were so happy, she’d hate to interrupt. 

 

“Let’s give them the night. They deserve some happiness after the fight they had.”

 

“It’ll make it harder for us to take the memories away in the morning, knowing how happy they are.”

 

“That’s our problem, not theirs. Let them have this. We can catch up.” 

 

The next morning it took Plagg reminding Adrien that he had a photoshoot to get to to get him to get dressed, transformed and willing to leave his lady. Afterall, as he happily told his Kwami, now that he knew she was Marinette, he’d be able to see her whenever he wanted. The tone of love and wonder in voice when he said her name made it clear just how much of a gonner he was. 

 

“Can you believe it, Plagg?” He asked, once they were back in his room and he’d detransformed, “Marinette, Ladybug, she loves me! She said so! She loves me!!”

 

He flopped dramatically on his bed, a love stick grin seemingly stuck permanently on his face. 

 

“Of course she does, you idiot.” Plagg said, softly, fondly, sadly, sounding nothing like his usual self. “Of course she does.” And, not being able to put it off any longer, he sealed the memories of the night before away. 

 

***

 

“This can’t be happening,” Marinette said, curled up on the floor of her bathroom, staring at the third test to tell her the impossible result. “This can’t be happening! I can’t be pregnant!

 

“How could this happen? I haven’t had sex in months! How could I possibly get pregnant without having sex? I mean, I wouldn’t just forget having sex, would I? Someone would have...” She trailed off and   turned to Tikki, eyes wide. “That party, last month. I.. I had too much to drink, and I went upstairs... and... I was wearing all my clothes when I went woke up the next morning. Could.. could someone have...” Marinette’s eyes started watering with panic and terror. 

 

“Oh God. How could this happen to me! I can’t be pregnant! This can’t be happening! I’m not ready to be a mom! I can’t be pregnant! I’m ladybug! I can’t be saving Paris and gestating! It wouldn’t be safe for anyone!” She sat up suddenly. 

 

“I need to get an abortion! How do I get an abortion? Where do I go? Oh God, THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING!” 

 

“Marinette.” Tikki butted her head gently against her chosen’s nose. “I can get rid of it.” 

 

Marinette’s eyes crossed as she looked at where her Kwami was floating way too close. Giggling lightly, Tikki floated back until the eyes uncrossed. 

 

“You can perform safe abortions?” she asked. She’d never thought it was something a magical supercreature would be able to do. Not that she’d ever actually thought about it at all. 

 

“You aren’t the first Ladybug to get pregnant unexpectedly or who didn’t want to be. I’ve done this many times, over the millennia. It’s entirely safe.”

 

Marinette took a moment and looked at the pregnancy tests she was still holding.... She dashed the tears from her eyes and threw them into the garbage. 

 

“Do it.” She said, expression firm. 

 

With a nod, Tikki phased into her, caused her to start bleeding and took the memories of the incident away, all at the same time. Better safe than sorry, and this was too close to the truth, to let Marinette remember. 

 

* * *

 

Hawkmoth was defeated, and in the care of the police. It had taken them almost ten years, but they had done it. He was gone. Their work was done. 

They stood on the roof of Notre Dame, hidden away from public eyes, just each other to see. For the first time in many  years, they were awkward before each other. Neither one knew how to act, or what to do. Hawkmoth was gone, their battles done, their job finished. There was only one thing left to decide. 

“So,” Chat asked, hesitant. She’d turned him down every other time, but this… this was different. He didn’t want to go through the rest of his life not knowing his Lady, and, after today, they’d have no reason to patrol or transform ever again. “I’d like to introduce myself to you, my Lady.” He raised his hand with the ring. “May I?” 

She smiled at him shyly, so strangely shyly. 

“Tikki, spots off,” she said. And, in a flash of pink light, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, up and coming designer in the fashion world, stood before him, shy, as he hadn’t seen her since lycee. This whole time, she’d been right in front of him and he’d never had the wits to see it.  He could laugh. He could cry. How could he have been so blind. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Nice to meet you.” she reached out a hand for him to shake. 

 

But even if he had been blind, it didn’t matter anymore. Not in the slightest. Smiling hugely, he dropped his own transformation. 

 

“Enchanté,” he smirked, reaching out and kissing her hand. “Adrien Agreste at your service.”

 

“ _ Adrien!?”  _ she squeaked. She looked just as shocked as he felt. “How could I not have seen it? You sat in front of me for  _ years _ . I was  _ obsessed  _ with you,”

 

“You were?” He asked, both surprised and amused. Come to think of it, Marinette’s behavior throughout lycee made a  _ lot _ more sense when he looked at it as if she might be an obsessive fan girl. 

 

“Shut up,” she said, blushing and shooting him a glare, before frowning. “But, really, how could I  _ not _ have seen it... It doesn’t make sense....” 

 

“Well, you see, Marinette...” Ladybug’s Kwami trailed off, wringing her tiny hands. 

 

“Tikki?”--so that’s what her name was-- Marinette turned to her Kwami, voice concerned. 

 

“Well, the thing is...” Tikki was getting more and more distressed by whatever she had to say. She couldn’t even finish a sentence. 

 

“You did see it. Both of you.” Plagg cut in. Adrien’s head snapped around. 

 

“ _ WHAT?! _ ” His voice overlapped with Marinette’s.  

 

With one last look at each other, the kwami came at them and  _ phased through their heads.  _ Adrien barely had a moment to deal with how strange that was before the memories came back. 

 

There were  _ hundreds of them _ . He staggered under the weight of them. Memories of panicked realizations. Of elated moments when she’d told him herself. Of screaming his name to her, begging her to listen. Of sweet realization. 

 

The one that hit the heaviest was the one of her in his arms, her lips on his, her all around him, her keening his real name, a feeling of slightly smug pride and joy, the joyous desperation he’d felt, murmuring her name into her neck with ragged breaths as the feeling of her tipped him over the edge. 

 

He looked over at Marinette, the woman who’d he’d known was his lady, so very many times, through eyes blurred with tears. She looked back at him, blue eyes wide with shock, mouth hanging open, arms hugging herself as she slowly shook her head. She looked exactly how she felt. 

 

Somehow, he managed to turn to face Plagg. 

 

“Why?” Was all he could manage. He wanted to scream. He wanted the whole damn world to go away. He wanted to understand how the creature who’d always had his back could betray him like this. 

 

“It was the only way to keep you safe.” Tikki said. 

 

“Safe?” he asks, trembling with fury and pain and betrayal. “How the hell did keeping us isolated count as keeping us  _ safe?  _ If we could have met in our civilian identities, if we could have had more time to plan-- Think about how much faster we could have taken out Hawkmoth! DO YOU REALIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU’VE LET BE HURT BY DOING THIS TO--”

 

“YOU WOULD HAVE DIED!” Plagg shouted, the hurt in his expression obvious to anyone who knew him well. 

 

“What?” Adrien felt like his legs had been chopped off at the knees. 

 

“If you know, you die,” Tikki said, looking only at Marinette when she spoke, everything about her begging for forgiveness. “We’ve been through this countless times and  _ every time _ our chosens have known their partners civilian identity, they die in the final battle. Hawkmoth goes down, but it costs you both of your lives! Please, you have to understand!” Marinette was shaking her head faster and faster, her hands gripping her stomach with almost bruising strength, the look of betrayal in her eyes so deep, it surprised even him.  “Marinette, please, you were going to get rid of it anyway, I just made it easier for you, if I hadn’t taken the memories away then you would have gone on thinking you’d been violated in a way you hadn’t and you didn’t deserve that and if I let you remember, please, you have to understand, they would have lost both their parents--”

 

Adrien’s legs actually gave way as he realized what had happened. 

 

“We didn’t use protection...” He croaked, looking around from Marinette to Tikki to Plagg, begging someone to tell him that he was wrong. That it hadn’t actually happened. He looked down, the realizations of what he’d done to her, what she’d gone through alone, crashing over him.

 

“I wasn’t ready for a child,” Marinette’s voice was weak. Adrien looked up to see her kneeling before him. “Please understand. I thought... There was a party I couldn’t remember and I thought... I still had to save Paris and I wanted to focus on my career and I...” She was asking for his forgiveness, he realized. He pulled her into his arms, wanting to comfort her, needing to be comforted by her. He wanted to scream for the child he’d never gotten to know. That he’d never gotten the chance to even imagine, but he couldn’t. Marinette needed him far more right now.

 

“Marinette, I understand. It’s ok. I understand. You made the best choice you could and it was your choice anyway. If I’d known. If I could have actually been there for you,” He shot Plagg a dirty look.”If you didn’t want to keep you, I would have gone with you to the abortion clinic. Hell, I would have driven you there, if that’s what you wanted. Marinette, it’s ok..” 

 

Except, it wasn’t, he realized, as she started to cry into his shirt. They had both had their trust in the one thing they thought they could always count on shattered. He wasn’t sure either of them would ever be ok again. But at least they both understood what it felt like to go through this. At least they weren’t really alone. 

 

“Marinette,” Tikki said, voice weak. 

 

“Go away.” Marinette said into his shirt.

 

“Marinette, please.”

 

‘GO AWAY!” She yelled, turning to face her kwami. She pulled away from Adrien and her fingers flew to her ears. “Take your damn stones and  _ leave me alone!” _ She took the earrings that Adrien had never seen her without and threw them on the ground between the humans and the Kwamis. 

 

“Plagg,’ Adrien whispered, “transform me.”

 

For the last time, he felt the familiar sensation of the transformation, and for the first time, it brought him no joy at all. The look of betrayal Marinette gave him cut him to the heart. 

 

“We can’t get down as our civilian selves,’ he explained weakly. He saw her understand, and look at her earrings with loathing in her eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll carry you.’ He held out one hand, the other closing on his batton. Tikki started to cry the tears of someone who saw a blow that they couldn’t dodge as Marinette turned her back on her and walked towards him, earrings left abandoned on the roof. 

 

It took no time at all for them to get off the roof of Notre-Dame, and into an unoccupied alleyway. Adrien let go of the transformation for what he knew to be the very last time. 

 

“Adrien?” Plagg asked, voice a strange combination of hopeful and resigned. 

 

“Goodbye, Plagg,” he said, taking off his ring and putting it on the ground. 

 

With nothing left to say he took Marinette’s hand and walked off into the night with her, leaving their kwami’s and superhero identities behind them, and taking away nothing but pain. 

 

***

 

It was almost 20 years later, before the next Hawkmoth arose, and with her came, as they always did, a new Ladybug and Chat Noir. Their first battle went about as well as could be expected, all three of them still learning how to use their powers, and the new partnership between Ladybug and Chat Noir barely in its fledgling state. 

 

It was only after the battle ended, that things changed. The two new superheros took off, looking for a place to detransform away from the public eye. They both found places, not perfect, but good enough. And in both of those places there were envelopes addressed to them. Not their real names, of course, but their superhero identities. In the envelope was a card with an address and a time and the words. ‘We can help.’

 

‘Should I go?’ They ask their kwamis. It takes several minutes before Plagg or Tikki says they should. Afterall, they do recognize the handwriting, even almost 20 years later on. 

 

Night had fallen by the time indicated on the card, and the address turned out to be an old, abandoned warehouse, the name “Gabriel” in faded letters still legible above the door. Inside, the new superduo found a well lit scene. There’s a study table, with some papers on it, and four comfortable looking chairs around it. There’s more in the less well light parts of the warehouse. What looks like an obstacle course in one corner, and  some mats in another.

 

The most interesting thing in the room, though, were the two people sitting at the table. They’re both old, in the eyes of the young heroes. Well, middle age at least. They had wrinkles, and the blue-black hair of the woman had its fair share of grey. 

 

“Who are you?” Chat Noir asked, stepping in front of her Ladybug.

 

“We’re you, the last time there was a Hawkmoth.” Said the woman. 

 

“More specifically,” the man added, a slightly twinkle in his eye. “I was you. She was Ladybug.” He gave the woman a loving smile and she returned a soft one. 

 

“And what do you want?” asked the new Ladybug, stepping forward and beside her new partner. 

 

“When we went through being the saviors of Paris, we were hurt, badly.” The man’s voice was flat. 

 

“We learned some things too late that wouldn’t have hurt nearly as badly as if we were told upfront. And we spent the whole time feeling so alone.”  There was a deep pain in the woman’s eyes. 

 

“So we decided to help the next two heroes who came along. We made this space for you two. There’s room to train, first aid supplies, food, emergency resupplies for your Kwamis and, of course, wifi.” The old Chat Noir said, gesturing around the room as he spoke. 

 

“Come on and sit with us.” Said the old Ladybug, with the voice of a Superhero who was used to being listened to. “There’s a lot you need to know.”

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Marinette has consensual sex and it made to forget about it. She becomes pregnant and freaks out, worrying it happened at a party she got black out drunk at. She decided to get an abortion, Tikki does the abortion for her, and then takes her memories of the whole thing away again. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope y'all had a pleasant suffering. Please leave your screaming in the box bellow!


End file.
